Showing posts with label Eggs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eggs. Show all posts

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Baked Eggs with Sausage


I can't believe I have not added this recipe to the blog yet.  This is an old family favorite.  My first introduction to this dish was by Cory's mom.  She made a simpler version than this but the idea of baked eggs with cream is the same.

My recipe is different in that I add cooked sausage, some sauteed onions and a pinch of parsley.  I feel that the flavor profile is more to my liking with a few more ingredients to layer the dish and make it a "one pot"breakfast.  The meat and eggs are served together.  It works well served with my favorite Gluten Free Biscuits.

This dish is gluten free but would need to be modified for an individual if they were eating a strict Paleo diet.  I don't have any issues with cheese so I have included this in the recipe below.  Leave it out if you don't eat cheese.  I also make mine with Ghee and Coconut Milk.  If you don't have any dairy issues then replace these two items with grass fed butter and heavy cream.

I use Chicken Sausage from Whole Foods. You can use any sausage you want , and that fits into your style of eating.  We are trying to cut out pork from our diets and so the chicken works best for us.

Making this dish in small ramekins allows for my kids to eat these in the morning before school starts.  This recipe makes 4 but you can easily double it and have a few extra for school day mornings.  We microwave them for a few seconds until warm.

I have an assortment of ramekins that I use for single serving dishes like this egg dish.  You can see in the picture I have used a Pyrex glass dish and a wider fluted dish.  The recipe is the same for each size.  What will happen is that the the thinner dish will be, well, thinner and the smaller ramekin will create a thicker dish.  They taste the same.  I do this all the time and I have never had to alter cook times or ingredients.  I like the wider dish for when I am having guest over because I think it looks pretty.

The cook time will vary depending on if you want your yolk runny or hard.  Our family is at both ends of the spectrum when it comes to yolks and how they are cooked. Our girls love over easy eggs. They want the yolk as runny as possible.  This would be the 10-12 minute bake time.  Cory and I like our egg yolks hard.  We bake them an additional 10 minutes to make sure they are firm.  Bake your eggs somewhere in between the two times to achieve the perfect center for you and your family.

This is a dish that is great for any time of the day: breakfast, lunch or dinner.  

ENJOY!


Baked Eggs with Sausage
Makes four servings

2-3 tablespoons red onion, minced
1 large chicken sausage, diced and cooked
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter or ghee
8 tablespoons cream or coconut milk
salt and pepper
pinch of parsley for each ramekin

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Spray ramekins with cooking spray.  Add water to a large baking dish.  Enough water to go up half way on the ramekins.  See top picture--it has the dish I used, the water added and the two sizes of ramekins that I use.

2.  Remove casing from sausage and fry with onions until done.

3.  In each ramekin divided the sausage/onion mixture equally.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Add1/2 of the tablespoon of butter to the bottom of the ramekin and the other half will be used on top of the raw egg.  Crack the egg on top of this mixture.  Add the parmesan cheese, coconut milk or cream.  Finish the dish with the second half of the butter from the tablespoon.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Add more parmesan cheese if you would like.  (There is no right or wrong way to layer this dish.  I just like to layer the ingredients in this order.)

4.  Add the ramekins to the baking dish with water.  Carefully put pan in oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Check eggs. Additional minutes may be required based on how you like your eggs baked.  See comments above.

5.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.  I usually take a knife and fork and diced it all together and eat with a gluten free biscuit or slice of toast.

Written by Sherron Watson

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Homemade Pasta #glutenfree


This recipe has been in the making for two years.  I have tried so many different versions of gluten free pasta made from scratch that I was about to get discouraged and quit.  In fact, there were a few months that I shed a tear out of frustration because of the ingredients I wasted.

I can say that this recipe is tested.  I have made it so many times fearing that each time something would go wrong. It hasn't yet.  It comes together in my Kitchenaid just like my pasta doughs made with wheat flour.  It rest for 30 minutes, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, just like my wheat based pasta doughs.  It works in my pasta machine. 

Simply put--it works.

Taste great.

Kids love it.

I won't go on and on about the pasta other than to say it is the closest "gluten free" pasta to the real thing, that I have had and is freshly made. I have my favorite store brands that I will continue to buy. I don't always have the time or energy to make pasta from scratch. That is not the point. The point is now I have one that I trust will work for my family and our taste buds. I can check one more thing off of my list of can't haves.
 
I love to make pasta from scratch and I missed the process.  Really, Really missed the process.  In our family it is a family affair.  The kids are involved in rolling, making and cooking their dishes.  Now I feel I have brought a family tradition back into our home.

Gluten free anything is going to be a bit different from the original.  Please keep this in mind and don't get frustrated if it doesn't turn out the first time.  Mine didn't.   There are variables that play into any recipe: ingredients, humidity, equipment used and our own experience with cooking.  

I will gladly answer any questions that you may have for this recipe.  Leave a comment below.

UPDATE: 7-23-2014 I wanted to let everyone know that last night I wrapped my left over pasta dough and refrigerated it until today.  I took it out an hour before I wanted to use it and brought it to room temperature.  It was perfect!  I actually used my large rolling pin and pizza cutter to create some fun noodles for the Littles--Isabella and Finnley.  


I have tried my best to provide a lot of pictures for you to visually see each step.  This recipe is pretty sturdy compared to some I tested but you still need to treat it gently.  Don't push the pasta too far. What I mean by that is don't over cook it, don't try one more roll through the pasta machine.  I did all of that and absorbed the disappointments so that you won't have to do it. 

Two things to note.  Depending on what you decide to make with the pasta dough, it needs to be fully cooked.  Unlike our wheat pasta cousins that take a dip in boiling water and jump right back out this is not like that.  You will get a bite, but it won't taste good.  The pasta noodles need to boil for 3-4 minutes.  Test, test, test to see where you palate likes the noodle to be.  I liked mine to be fully cooked.

Secondly, you can reuse the pasta dough but it needs to rest for a few minutes.  I am mostly referring to the use of the dough to make stuffed pastas.  Often I will have scraps from my ravioli tray.  In this situation, I ball them up and wrap them in plastic wrap and set them off to the side.  It needs time to rest or the dough will be dry.  Working the dough may help but I found that patients was my friend for the second round of using the leftover dough pieces.  This won't apply if making spaghetti  or any other noodle because you will use all of the dough the first time.



If you don't need a gluten free version, I have two other recipes that my family enjoyed the years before I went gluten free.

Regular recipes are: Spinach Pasta Dough and Pasta Dough

Check back because I will be sharing our gluten free stuffed pasta recipes soon. 




Homemade Pasta #glutenfree


Makes one large ball of pasta--feeds my family of 6 or makes 75 raviolis using a tray

All pictures are following the recipe.  I did this to keep it simple for those that don't need the step by step pictures.  I have used a variety of substitutions with this recipe and THIS is the one that works.  I cannot guarantee it will turn out if you start substituting something else.  You need a scale for this to turn out perfect each time.  I use this Food Scale at home.  The estimated cup measurements are just that, estimated.  


166 g (1 cup) white rice flour, fine
70 g (1/2 cup) millet flour

50 g (1/3 cup) potato starch
50 g (1/3 cup) tapioca starch
3 teaspoons Guar Gum 
pinch of salt
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons water, as needed


1.  In a kitchen stand mixer, add all dry ingredients.  Use the whisk attachment and turn mixer to low. Mix dry ingredients well.

2.  Stop mixer  and change to the bread hook. Add eggs and oil. Continue to mix on low speed.  The dough will be dry.  Add one tablespoon of water at a time until the dough starts to pull together and form a ball.  If dough gets too wet, don't panic, add a sprinkle of rice flour to bring it back to ball form.

3.  Turn mixer to medium high and work dough for 2 minutes.  Remove dough and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Let set for 30 minutes on the counter.

4.  Start a pot of water with salt on stove top.  Bring to a rapid boil.

5.  After dough has rested.  Open plastic wrap and cut into 4 pieces.  Take one piece and rewrap the remaining three.  Dust your area with potato starch and flatten the piece to about 1/4 inch.

AT THIS POINT YOU NEED A LARGE ROLLING PIN TO ROLL DOUGH OUT OR A Pasta Maker .  I have shared the link to the brand I use.  I also have the spaghetti attachment.

6.  Lightly dust your dough with potato starch. Too much and it will not go through the machine.  Start your machine at 0 and work you way up to 4 or 5.  The thinner you go the better but again, don't push it.  The dough will tell you how much it can take. If it starts to stick or tear--then you have rolled it too thin.

7.  Place long pieces of thin dough to dry on counter for 2 minutes.  Change the handle and roll your dough through the desired pasta attachment: spaghetti, fettucini, etc... 

8.  Gently pick up pasta pieces and add to boiling water. Stir them once.  Cook for 2-4 minutes depending on size of noodle.  Thicker noodles require more time.

9.  Remove with slotted spoon and serve with your favorite sauce.  My personal favorite: brown butter and parmesan cheese.

PICTURES BELOW
















Written by Sherron

NOTE:  There are links to my Amazon store to show you specifically which products I use at home.  There is no obligation to purchase these items through me.  I do make a small percentage off of each sale that helps pay for ingredients used on the blog.   Thank you!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Homemade Cheese Tortellini


This recipe is not gluten free.  I contribute a variety of recipes to several non gluten free clients.  I made Tortellini and Sausage Soup for Capital Style Magazine a few months ago.   I know that I normally share gluten free recipes but this was a family favorite and I want my family to have it for their virtual cookbooks.

I am trying and testing gluten free pasta doughs all the time.  I have yet to find one that I like or that I can consistently make without a failed attempt.  It has been frustrating for me.  When I need a gluten free filled pasta I shop at Whole Foods and buy the brand they have in their cheese section.  

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STOP THE PRESSES AND IGNORE THAT LAST PARAGRAPH ABOUT NOT HAVING A GLUTEN FREE PASTA FOR STUFFING--I DO NOW!

Update:  I wrote this last week and I have fretted over the fact that I cannot provide my gluten free readers with a reliable gluten free pasta dough that I have successfully made.  These things do keep me up at night. I have tried a variety of recipes but nothing quite tasted or felt right.  

I woke up yesterday with an epiphany of what I was doing wrong.  I was close but always missed the mark on the dough ever so slightly.  Today--nailed it!  I have successfully made stuffed gluten free pasta in the shapes of tortellini and ravioli.  

So what is next?  I need to make it 3 more times this weekend to be 100% sure that it will work. Please come back next week and I will be posting the recipe for the gluten free pasta dough. 

...continue reading.  {insert happy dance here}

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So with that said, here is a recipe that I use for pasta.  It works well in my pasta machine and my family likes the flavor.

First, don't be afraid to make pasta from scratch. It may seem overwhelming your first time but it gets easier the more you do it.  Pretty soon you will be making it without a recipe.  It takes a bit of planning but it is worth the time and effort.  

I promise.

Second, making stuffed pasta is equally as enjoyable but it does take a bit more time and planning. Again, once you make it a few times it will get easier and easier.   Stuffed pasta is fun because you can make a variety of fillings.  The filling recipe I am sharing is a basic cheese  filling that my family, especially the kids, enjoy.  

I own a ravioli tray--LOVE IT! That is an option if you don't want to make the tortellini.  These tortellinis are made using your two hands.  Be patient with your abilities the first few you make.  It took me about 5 before they looked like the picture at the top of this post.  My daughter helped me make a bunch too.  

Kids love to make pasta!

When I make pasta, it is standing room only.  What I mean by this is that my family is standing in the kitchen with bowl in hand waiting for me to take the pasta out of the boiling water.  They go and sit and eat.  Then they start the process over.  I work on an island in the middle of my very small kitchen and whip these puppies out as fast as possible.  I am standing too!

I know this looks like an overwhelming night in the kitchen and it might be your first time.  I would just encourage you to give it a try once.  

Let me know how they turned out for you and your family.

ENJOY!


I used some of the tortellini in this Tortellini and Sausage soup.  Recipe coming tomorrow to the blog.

Pasta (Filling ingredients listed below)

1 batch of pasta is enough to feed my family of 5.  It will make about 50 tortellini's depending on how large of a circle cutter you use.

3 cups of all purpose flour
4 large eggs
pinch of salt
3 T. water (possibly more depending on dough)

1.  Mix the salt and flour together and dump on a clean table. Make a well in the center of the flour and add your eggs and 3T. water.  With a fork, start mixing the eggs into the flour.  I also like to have a metal pastry scrapper so that with one hand I am mixing and the other one I am keeping my flour from going all over the place.  Work the dough into a ball.

I keep a bowl of water nearby.  As I start to knead the dough and if it feels too dry I wet my hands and go back to kneading.  I might do this 3 or 4 times.  The dough should not be dry. 

2.  Kneading time will be about 10 minutes.  Around 8 minutes into the kneading you will notice the dough start to become softer. 


3.  After you have kneaded the dough, cut the ball into 4 sections.  I wrap each section in saran wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.  

NOTE:  The instructions above are for mixing the dough by hand.  I don't do this every time because I don't always have, well, the time.  I do make this in my Kitchen Aid too.  I add all of the ingredients to the bowl.  Add the dough hook.  Slowly start the mixer until everything is combined and formed into a ball.  If the dough is too dry, add a teaspoon of water.  If the dough is not shaping into a ball, add a dusting of flour until it has pulled away form the bowl. Once the dough is in a ball and pulled away from the bowl, knead for 5 minutes at a medium speed.  Once dough is kneaded, follow step 3 above.

Ravioli Filling

1/2 cup of Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup of diced green onion, chopped fine
1 tsp minced garlic
1/3 cup of parmesan cheese, grated fine
1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp of salt
5 leaves of fresh basil, chopped fine

1.  Mix the filling ingredients together in a small bowl.

2.  Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

To make the tortellini

1. Prepare your pasta and filling.  (Instructions above)  Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.

2.  Roll out your dough into long pasta sheets.  Do this by hand rolling with a rolling pin or using a pasta machine.  If you need help with how to use your pasta machine--go here for more detail.

3.  I use a 3 inch round cookie cutter to make the circles.  Add a 1/2 teaspoon or less of filling to the center of each circle. See picture below. You can do more but I find they are harder to close with a very full center.


4.  To shape the tortellini.  I lift each circle, dip my finger in a bowl of water and run it around the edge of the circle. Fold the circle in half. Lightly pinching the dough together . See picture below. I flip the pasta so that the straight edge is next to the tip of my fingers.  Using both hands, and with my thumb and pointing finger, I grab the edges and have them meet together. I overlap the corners and push together to seal.  Add a touch of water if they are not staying.  When you bring the two edges together the rounded part of the halved shape will start to curl up.  See pictures.




5.  Add filled tortellini to soups or boiling water to cook.  They take about 5-6 minutes to cook through.  The size does matter so if they are bigger they may take longer to cook.

6.  Remove tortellini from boiling water and serve with your favorite sauce, browned butter or grated parmesan cheese.

7.  Leftover cooked tortellini can be kept in the refrigerator and reheated the next day.  Leftover dough can also be refrigerated but not for more than 2 days.



Written by Sherron Watson

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Scotch Eggs




Not what you were expecting?  Don't fret, there are better pictures below.

I couldn't resist.  I took these pictures in a matter of seconds because I was juggling this little project, a homeschool assignment for Isabella and working with limited napping time for Finnley.  I guess what I am trying to say is there was a bit of stress associated with these pictures and when I opened them in Photoshop, all I saw staring back at me, were two large eyes.  I laughed out loud and went with the moment.  Drew the eyes that were magically looking at me on the screen.  I think it works.

Enjoy the laugh!

I have been wanting to make these again for a long time.

I made them for the first time 2 years ago when I returned from a trip to NYC. We stopped into a little pub off Broadway and found ourselves ordering three of these.  I thought to myself, " what a perfect combination--egg and sausage".  

It took me a while to get mine to look like theirs and taste just as good.  My first few attempts I deep fried them.  Although I like the very crispy exterior I didn't like the idea of frying them.  I decided that I would give it a shot in the oven and bake my little googly eyes--I mean--scotch eggs.

It worked.  I was really happy with the results.  The inside egg was perfectly cooked through--no ring around the yolk-and the sausage with breading had a nice texture.  I will say that when they are reheated the next day you will lose that bit of crunchy-firm outside.

These make the perfect quick breakfast to take camping.  I make them the day before. Wrap them in foil, toss in the cooler and when ready to use, lay them on an open grate above the fire.  Turning them every few minutes until heated through.  Easy?  YES and I like it that way when camping.



Baking and frying gluten free recipes that call for breadcrumbs used to be a problem for me until I figured out a solution that works well in my kitchen.  I have purchased the little plastic containers in my local grocery store labeled: gluten free bread crumbs.  I don't like them.  They always seem to bake very hard and the texture feels like I am eating sand.

This is what I do.  I use a brand of gluten free bagel-style crackers with the flavor of garlic and onion.  I add the box to my Vitamix, zap it a few times and I have perfect bread crumbs that are seasoned perfectly.

I store any leftovers in an air tight baggie in the freezer.

Looking at the above picture you can see little specs of the breadcrumbs catching the light from my window.

I would be really interested in knowing how you make your gluten free breadcrumbs or a brand that you find acceptable.  I am always open to new ideas.

ENJOY!


Scotch Eggs
Makes 4

1 pound seasoned pork sausage
4 large eggs
1/2 cup bread crumbs

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  In a small pot, place eggs and enough water to cover the eggs.  Turn heat to medium high and cook for 8 minutes.  Eggs will not be hard-boiled at this time.  The yolk will still be very soft.

3.  Cool eggs and peel.  Be very careful when peeling because of the soft center.

4.  Divide the pork into four portions.  Place one portion in the palm of your hand and flatten. Place an egg in the middle and gently wrap the sausage around the eggs. Seal any open edges.  The whole egg should be wrapped in sausage.

5.  Place the bread crumbs in a small bowl.  Roll the sausage-egg in the crumbs and place on a baking sheet.  Spray the eggs with your favorite cooking spray.

6.  Bake the Scotch Eggs for 20 minutes, rotate dish, and bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Baking times may vary because of oven temperatures.  You want your egg to be golden brown on the outside and firm to the touch.

Written by Sherron Watson




Monday, May 6, 2013

Reno Omelette Mix



This recipe for Reno Omelet is one that my family would serve in their restaurants. We were known for our huge 6 egg omeletes.  Many patrons would share because, lets face it, 6 eggs is a lot to eat.  On rare occasions we would be met by a challenger who would eat the entire omelet, the hash browns, toast and 10 cups of coffee.  These were usually men who spent their days behind the wheel of a logging truck.

We lived in the hills of Oregon and the logging industry was still very active and a huge part of my town growing up.  These are sweet memories of riding my bikes along the logging roads with my cousins and family.  These roads are all closed down now because the mills are no longer functioning.

On our menu, we had a variety of omelets to choose from: Denver, Seafood, Reno and The Spanish are just a few.  This is by far my favorite.  I love the combination of pork and the different cuts of meat.  I also like the red tomato base sauce.  Combine this with cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream and you will eat like a king or queen.

This recipe makes a large amount.  This is great because you can freeze half for a later time or eat it in a week like my family does.  We don't tire of this at all.

The sausage that I recommend in the list of ingredients is purchased at Whole Foods in their meat section. The reason I am making note of this is because they are large.  I would say 1.5 inches by 6-7 inches long.  If you purchase sausage that is not this size then you would want to make some adjustments.

I also don't make 6 egg omelets at my home.  I use 2 eggs, slightly whisked and poured into a hot cast iron pan that has a bit of melted butter in the bottom.  You can also use a non stick or omelet pan to make your eggs.

I like a dry omelet,  this means that I cook one side and then flip it so that my omelet does not have any runny eggs (I don't like this at all).  At this time I will add my cheese and warmed Reno mix then top with sour cream. Flip the right side over the fixings and slide to a plate. You can top the omelet with more cheese and sour cream too.

I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe that is wonderful for breakfast, lunch or dinner!




Reno Omelet Mix

1 large chorizo sausage-cooked and sliced
1 cup of ham- diced and cooked
2 large pork sausages-cooked and sliced
6 slices of bacon-cooked and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion--sliced
3 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, do not drain
1  (14 oz) can of tomato sauce


After all your meat is cooked, diced and sliced add this to a large stock pot. Add sliced onion.  Let the onions and meat cook together on medium heat until the onions are soft.  Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Let simmer and then portion up and freeze or refrigerate.  I usually let this simmer on low for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Warm before serving in omelet if not using right away.

I like this omelet served with Sharp Cheddar Cheese and sour cream. 


To make omelet: See above.



Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Spider Eggs for Halloween



You will soon learn that I love the holidays.  ALL of them!  Give me a reason to dress-up, decorate and make fun food, and I am all in!  I am the one that goes to the Renaissance Festivals dressed up…I know you all have friends that do this and you laugh.  LOL

The year before this I was Martha Stewart in a jailbird costume and this year (2006)  I was a pregnant lady…REALLY, I was pregnant…LOL  Payback I guess…LOL


I guess it's the actress in me that never got a chance to shine.  I am a kid at heart and find that holidays make me happy and they remind me of the fun things that I did as a kid.  Over the years my family and I have hosted some very fun and large Halloween parties at our home.

 2008 I was a witch…my favorite costume!

Our fondest memory is the year we turned out basement into a haunted house and had kids from all over standing in line to go through….lots of fun!  The coolest part was my oldest daughter and her friends decorated and hosted the event for my son and his friends.

2009 I went as a fortune teller.   2010 I guess I went as a storm chaser.  We were in our trailer at the time and we had a huge tornado warning and thunderstorm. FUN TIMES, not!

I know these spiders are common to make but the kids still get a kick out of seeing them every year.



 Recipe:  Deviled Eggs with Spiders

1 can of large pitted black olives
6-8 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
1/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Boil or steam your eggs like usual.  Peel the eggs and slice in half.  Remove the yolk and add this to a bowl with mayo, mustard, and vinegar.  This is all based on your taste buds.  I have given you the minimum measurements and you will have to taste your mix to see if it is where you like it.  I like ours tart with vinegar so I would naturally add more vinegar.  If it's not enough to fill your egg whites, then add more mayo and mustard to stretch your filling.

Once your filling is made, then place the filling in a piping bag or plastic baggie and fill each egg white.

Take an olive and slice in half.  If you want to use one olive per egg then you will need to be careful how you slice it.  It is possible but personally, it's a bit tedious.  I usually just cut them in half and then use another olive to make the legs.  Using a sharp knife cut slim slices from the olive half.

Easy peasy if you ask me and the kids love them!  Ok, so do the adults…LOL







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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Dutch Baby


During the weekday we have simple and easy breakfast choices: yogurt, granola, oatmeal, toast or cereal.

Saturday and Sundays are a different menu.  WHY?  I am not sure.  Maybe it's because we get to sleep in and so we are extra hungry.  Although I think that time plays a lot in our choice of what to eat in the morning.

Mornings at my house are crazy trying to get everyone off to school and work.  I am lucky to have my hubby around every morning to help me with this task.  It's not the teenagers that need our help, it's the 4 yo.  She is super organized, so excited and buzzing around our home like a bee.  Oh, to be that excited about something, it's special to see.  4 is a great age filled with stories, princesses, love, and joy.  She is a ray of sunshine to our family.



What types of meals do we make for breakfast on the weekend?  We like the usual fare of pancakes, waffles, eggs, and omelets.  If we want to get really fancy-schmancy we will make crepes or Dutch Babies.

Sunday morning I had a request for Dutch Babies, but not for breakfast, for dinner.  Yes, we eat breakfast for dinner too.  I don't think we are unusual because I read about lots of people doing the same.

I have to admit, it's been a few years since I have made Dutch Babies.  The main reason is we have been traveling for a year in our motorhome and the oven was just not hot enough to make them.  The second reason was the wheat.  I have been searching and searching for a good recipe and just could not find one.  My main complaint was that they were flat.  I will admit, the crust is a must for me.  I wanted the soft and warm bottom with the crispy and buttery edges.  I wanted a "real" dutch baby.

Out of desperation, I decided to try my hand at creating my own dutch baby.  What did I have to lose?  Nothing but a few eggs and flour.  To my amazement, I turned the oven light on and Wallah...we had success.  I will tell you that my secret was to have all of the ingredients at room temperature and I used a great combination of flours.  This recipe is very tasty, in fact, I have gotten better results with this recipe than with my original.  I lived at very high altitudes in Utah and sometimes I could not get the tall edges.  I will share both recipes.

You can tell I let my butter brown a little bit in the pan before adding my batter.  I love it this way.

I will tell you I almost shed a tear when I took the first bite.  It was a little bit of heaven with the flavor of lemon, powdered sugar and dutch baby all dancing in between my teeth...so simple, yet so rewarding!

The key to a successful rise is to have your ingredients at room temperature.  I believe this to be the case for both recipes.

Recipe:  Original Dutch Baby (Puff Pancake)

2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons butter

lemon
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar for dusting

Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet inside the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F (245 degrees C).  If you do not have a cast-iron skillet, glass pie plates work great too. I use both.  I have also made these in a square and heart pan.  The kids love the heart-shaped dutch babies, especially for special occasions.

In your blender add eggs, milk, flour, and 2T. of butter.  Blend on high until very light and fluffy.  You want the air in the mixture to make it light.

Remove skillet from the oven.  Melt 2 T. of butter in hot skillet so that inside of the skillet is completely coated with butter. Pour the batter equally between your pans (either 2 or 3 pie plates or cast iron skillets).  It's okay if the butter browns a little bit too.  I love the way it looks on the dutch oven..kinda crackly.


Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove promptly and sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with lemon.



Recipe:  Gluten-Free Dutch Baby

This recipe will make enough for 3 pie plates.  You can do 2, but the bottom will be a bit thicker.  We like ours thin on the bottom and then we can fold them over and eat like a piece of pizza.  I have made both and they all taste great.

I make one per person, plus more for adults or really hungry guests.

5 eggs, at room temperature. It's  IMPORTANT that you do this!
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup of white rice flour
1/4 cup of brown rice flour
1/4 cup of almond meal
4 T. of butter (2 T. for the skillet and 2 T. for mixture)

lemon 
powdered sugar


Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet inside oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F (245 degrees C).  If you do not have a cast iron skillet, glass pie plates work great too. I use both.  I have also made these in a square and heart pan.  The kids love the heart shaped dutch babies, especially for special occasions.

In  your blender add eggs, milk, flour and 2T. of butter.  Blend on high until very light and fluffy.  You want the air in the mixture to make it light.  You can use a mixer too, I just think the blender is easier to pour the batter into the pans.

Remove skillet from oven.  Melt 2 T. of butter in hot skillet so that inside of skillet is completely coated with butter. Pour the batter equally between your pans (either 2 or 3 pie plates or cast iron skillets).  It's okay if the butter browns a little bit too.  I love the way it looks on the dutch oven..kinda crackly.

Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove promptly and sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with lemon.


You can see in the back the whole dutch baby...they just pop out of their pans and look so pretty on a large plate.
Written by Sherron Watson





Saturday, July 16, 2011

Zucchini Puff Casserole


UPDATE 2020: We still eat this recipe at least once a month in the summer and sometimes in the winter. We love it!

It's summer and I can guarantee you that we will make this recipe at least 6-8 times before the zucchini surplus is over.  I found this recipe years ago in a cookbook.  I wish  I could remember the book, but all I know is the cover was a red and white check.  Any ideas readers?  LOL  



Everyone knows my love for cheese.  What I love about this recipe is it's easy, yummy and has the BEST cheese topping.  I wanted to post this recipe next week but I just found a blog hop on Julie's Eats and Treats and I want to participate.  I am here late Saturday night frantically writing up the post and recipe.  It's crazy how the foodie in me can get CRAZY excited about these little things in life.  But, they do make me happy...LOL



My oldest daughter absolutely loves this recipe.  It is her favorite.  I usually make 2 large pans and we eat it for every meal.  I have never tried the topping on any other veggie but I bet it would be just as yummy on any squash that you have in your garden or get from a friend.  ENJOY!

 Zucchini Cheddar Puff

2 lb. zucchini or yellow squash (sliced 1/4 inch thick) 7 cups
1 c. dairy sour cream
2 egg yolk, beaten
2 T. all-purpose flour (GF flour blends work well too)
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1.5 c. shredded Cheddar
3 egg white
4 T. seasoned bread crumbs (I use GF bread crumbs)
2 tsp. butter

1.  In a medium saucepan cook squash, covered in a small amount of water for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well and spread evenly into a 9X13 pan.


 2.  In a bowl combine sour cream, egg yolk, flour, onion, salt, and pepper. Stir in cheese. 


3.  In a bowl beat egg whites until fluffy stiff peaks form. Fold into sour cream mixture. Spoon onto squash. Mix bread crumbs and butter together and sprinkle over the dish. 

4.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.






NOTES:  I like a lot of the "puff" on my zucchini, I have made the recipe 1.5 times and it works well.  This recipe heats very well in the microwave the next day.




Written by Sherron Watson

Monday, July 4, 2011

Cast Iron Breakfast with Potatoes, Bacon and Cheese




There are so many things I love in my kitchen: rolling pins, whisks, graters, measuring cups and the list goes on and on.  So it is hard for me to pick just a few because they all play such pivotal roles in my kitchen.  My cast iron is treasured.  I love cooking with it.  It reminds me of using a "kitchen tool" that has been used for many, many years.  I feel a connection to all of the cooks from my past...Grandmothers, Great Grandmothers and on and on.



I will buy the worst looking cast iron at garage sales and flea markets and bring it home and restore it to it's natural beauty.  I will give it a beautiful black patina.  I give each of them the egg test.  If I can make an egg in it and not have it stick, then I have done my job.  This dish is the ultimate egg test because it combines eggs, cheese, potatoes and bacon.  

Add caption
I read an article that gave the easiest and simplest way to re-season your cast iron.  I used to slather it with Crisco and let it season in the oven for an hour and cool.  This took forever, heated up my house and did not always work the first time.  The new way is much easier.  They have you do it on the stove top.  I heat my skillet up, grab some tongs and a napkin, dip my napkin in the Crisco and melt it all over the inside of the pan, all while on the stove top.  I do this about 4 times and it's done.  My last two pans passed the fried egg test the first time.  



Skillet Breakfast with Potatoes, Bacon, and Cheese
The large skillet would feed 4-5 adults 

4-5 baked potatoes (a great way to use up leftovers)
1/2 sliced onion
1/2 sliced bell pepper (optional)
salt/pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 pound of Bacon..cooked and diced
2 cups of cheddar cheese 
6 eggs for the large skillet 
1/2 cup of cream or milk


1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees and put skillets in the oven.  BEWARE, they will get very hot!

2.  Saute the onion, bell pepper and garlic for 3 minutes in butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add eggs and milk to a small bowl and whisked together.

4.  Using a thick hot pad, remove skillet from oven and coat with butter. Layer your buttered skillet in this order:

Potatoes
Bacon
Onion and bell pepper
cheese
eggs/milk

5.  Bake for 15-20 minutes in a 400-degree oven.  The eggs should be puffy yet firm when touched.  See the picture below.  Serve immediately.  

Before...
...and after.

I think my family liked it!

I love how you can see the individual ingredients that create a wonderful flavor when eaten together.

Written by Sherron Watson

Donut Breakfast Casserole

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